Distributor lifter



Dec. 24, 1957 s. L. MALONE ETAL DISTRIBUTOR LIFTER Filed Oct. 14, 19 55 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

fiamue/ lLMa/one (X Osborne 5. Garry Filed Oct. 14, 1955 S. L. MALONE ET AL DISTRIBUTOR LIFTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 INVENTOR. Samuel LMa/wze & Osbornefi. Hurry BY Arron/v5) United States Patent DISTRIBUTOR LIFTER Samuel Lee Malone and Osborne B. Curry, Youngstown, Ohio Application October 14, 1955, Serial No. 540,374

4 Claims. (Cl. 29-261) This invention relates to automotive tools and more particularly to a tool for lifting a distributor from a V-8 internal. combustion engine.

' The principal object of the invention is the provision of adevice forlifting distributors from a V-8 engine.

. A further object of the invention is the provision of a tool for lifting distributors from V-8 engines and which tool may be operated by one workman and will act to lift the distributor and its associated shaft despite the same being frozen in the opening in the engine in which the shaft is positioned.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lifter for a distributor on an automotive combustion engine and which will elevate the engine and distributor by its supporting shaft in line with the opening in which the shaft is positioned in the engine.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a lifter for a distributor of an automotive engine which is relatively simple in construction and easy to position and operate.

It is well known that automotive engines of the V-8 type commonly mount the distributor between the heads of the engine or centrally thereof by forming a vertical opening in the engine block between the opposite rows of cylinders and positioning the distributor and its supporting and actuating shaft in such opening so that it can be actuated by the appropriate internal mechanisms of the engine.

It is also known that such distributor shafts commonly become relatively immovable due to oxidation, rust, etc., so that when it is desired to repair or replace the same, it is most difficult to remove the distributor and shaft from the engine.

It has heretofore been common practice to utilize a lever positioned over one of the rows of cylinders which usually resulted in bending the distributor shaft and rendering it incapable of reuse.

The present invention relates to a device which is positioned directly over and around the distributor and which acts to lift it directly and surely from its seat in the engine.

With the foregoing and other objects in'view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being the intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the function and scope of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the distributor lifter with parts broken away and parts in cross section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the distributor lifter.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the distributor lifter on a smaller scale with dotted lines illustrating the use of the r" 2,817,143 Patented Dec. 24, 1957 same in connection with the distributor of an internal combustion engine.

By referring to the drawings and Figure 1 in particular it will be seen that the distributor lifter comprises a cylindrical body, the opposite sides of which are provided with vertically extending slots 11--11 which terminate inwardly from the lower end 12 of the cylindrical body 10 and extend vertically in the cylindrical body through approximately two-thirds of its height.

The cylindrical body 10 has an annular flange 13 on its inner surface adjacent its upper end 14 and a thread pattern 15 is formed on the inner surface of the cylindrical body 10 above the annular flange 13. An apertured disc 16 is threaded around its peripheral edge in engagement with the thread pattern 15 and includes a centrally disposed threaded opening 17 in which a hollow screw 18 is threadably positioned and thereby capable of vertical movement with respect to the cylindrical body 10 and disc 16.

The hollow screw 18 has a hollow cup 19 secured thereto above the apertured disc 16. The disc 16 supports a roller bearing assembly 20, the uppermost portion of which engages and supports a yoke 21 which has oppositely disposed sidewardly extending bifurcated arms 22-22. A bushing 23 is positioned on the upper surface of the yoke 21 and a pair of internally threaded rings 2424 are threadably engaged on the hollow screw 18 and positioned against the bushing 23 so that the yoke 21 and the bearing assembly 20 are held in predetermined relation to the cup 19. The hollow screw 18, bearing assembly 20 and cup 19 are rotatable with respect to the yoke 21 and bushing 23.

The upper end of the hollow screw 18 is internally threaded as at 25 and a bushing 26 is positioned thereon and a square headed bolt 27 is engaged in the hollow screw 18 and secured in fixed relation thereto by a set screw 28. A wrench may thus be applied to the square headed bolt 27 and the hollow screw 18 revolved thereby with the resulting action that the yoke 21 will move vertically with respect to the cylindrical body 10.

A pair of identical oppositely disposed arms 29-29 are pivoted between the bifurcated ends 22 of the yoke 21 on hinge pins 3030 which are secured by cotter pins 3131, as best seen in Figure 2 of the drawings. The lowermost ends of the arms 2929 are inturned as at 32-32 and extend inwardly through the slots 11-11 and into the area within the cylindrical body 10 so that they may be engaged beneath a distributor, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings wherein the distributor is illustrated in dotted lines and indicated by the letter D.

The arms 2929 are also provided with sidewardly extending guides 33-33 adjacent their uppermost ends which limit the inward travel of the lower ends 3232 thereof by engaging the surface of the cup 19.

By referring again to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be seen that a lock ring 34 which is externally threaded is positioned within the upper end of the cylindrical body 10 and against the disc 16 to hold the same in position. It will occur to those skilled in the art that the disc 16, lock ring 34 and cylindrical body 10 may be integrally formed without departing from the invention as herein described and in which event the annular flange 13 within the cylindrical body 10 would be unnecessary.

It will thus be seen that a distributor can be readily lifted from a V8 internal combustion engine by positioning the cylindrical body 10 over the distributor, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, and engaging the lower inner ends 32 of the arms 29-29 beneath the distributor and then rotating the screw 18 as by means of the square headed bolt 27 so that the screw rises upwardly with respect to its threaded engagement in the disc 16 and lifts the cup 19, bearing assembly 20 and the yoke 21 to 3 which the arms 2929 were secured. The arms 29-29 rise vertically with respect to the cylindrical body 10 traveling in the slots 11 and lift the distributor D and its shaft out of the engine block.

It will thus be seen that the distributor lifter disclosed herein meets the several objects of the invention, and, in addition thereto, may be readily positioned on the internal combustion engine between the rows of cylinders thereof and over the distributor to be lifted where it may be used for its indicated purpose despite the limited area for its indicated purpose.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

l. A distributor lifter comprising a cylindrical body having a centrally apertured member across its upper portion, the walls of the member defining the aperture being threaded, a screw threadably engaged in said aperture, annular support means including bearing means secured to said screw above said member and a yoke positioned over said screw and supported for relative rotational movement by said bearing means, arms pivoted in oppositely disposed relation to said yoke and depending exteriorly of said cylindrical body, vertically extending slots in said cylindrical body and the lower ends of said arms being inturned and positioned through said slots and means on said screw for rotating the same to move said yoke and arms and support means vertically with respect to said cylindrical body.

2. The distributor "lifter set forth in claim 1 wherein the centrally apertured member comprises a disc having a thread pattern on its peripheral edge and wherein the cylindrical body has an annular flange therein and a thread pattern formed above said annular flange, and wherein said centrally apertured member is engaged thereon against said annular flange.

3. The distributor lifter set forth in claim 1 wherein a bushing is positioned on said yoke about said screw and internally threaded rings are positioned on said screw above said bushing to retain said yoke and support member in movable relative position.

4. The distributor lifter set forth in claim 1 wherein the yoke is provided with oppositely disposed sidewardly extending bifurcated arms having pivot pins transversely thereof and wherein said arms are secured to said pivot pins.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,354,390 Gilmore Sept. 28, 1920 1,598,887 Smith Sept. 7, 1926 1,778,802 Howell Oct. 21, 1930 2,341,677 Wass Feb. 15, 1944 

